Field Target Season – A Look Back…

The weather is warm, the birds are singing and field target shooters are ready to knock down some metal critters! For some of us that have been cooped up all winter, it is time to get in as much shooting as we can. Here in the southern USA, field target clubs are already running regular matches. We are all trying to get our field target rifles ready for the big regional, national and world field target matches. That can take some time for newly set up rigs.

I was thinking a bit about rifles I have set up and used in the past and couldn’t help but have fond memories of my USFT #19. What an incredible rifle it was, is and will always be… I was fortunate enough to buy this rifle used from Kevin Allen and went on to win most of the local, regional and National matches I shot with it for several years.

Today I have a bit of a blast from the past video for you all to enjoy. My good friend Ian Harford and Team Wild TV spent some time with us a few years ago here in Tennessee on the field target range. During his visit, I helped Ian get acquainted with one of my old favorites, the USFT rifle, #19. It is a rifle that I have had much success with over the years. It is set up to shoot field target USA style at just below 20 fpe. My gun actually is set up to shoot Crosman Premier pellets about 870 FPS, or about 17 fpe, give or take a little.

The USFT was made by Mac1 airguns, Tim McMurray of California. Tim’s gun has always been an incredibly durable, accurate and dependable rifle. It has won an incredible number of matches and is still one of my old favorites. The US Field Target rifle started life from a design by Larry Durham originally called the “Simple Simon.” The idea was to build a field target air rifle that did not require a regulator. In fact, the rifle uses a low pressure, high volume design that is unique to airguns of today. So, keeping things simple was the idea behind development of the gun.

Another important feature of this air rifle is it’s ergonomics. The gun has a thigh rest, a canted grip, a fully adjustable knee riser assembly and on some models, an adjustable butt assembly. All of these features add to the USFT’s success in the sport of field target.

Take a few minutes to watch this blast from the past video of Ian and I as we take the USFT #19 out on the Good Ole Boy’s Field Target course in Pulaski, Tennessee.